Convoluted Memories
by calwitch989
Summary: Haven wasn't the first time they meet, but only one of them remembers. Will Killian be able to win Emma's heart again even though she doesn't remember the first time.
1. Chapter 1

Lets be real if I owned these characters do you think I would have time for this.

Cross posted on AO3

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"Shock was the only way to describe the feelings coursing through him. Never, in all is too long life, had he expected to see those brilliant green eyes peering at him when the body he was hiding under was moved aside. It was absolutely impossible. How in all the hell was she here in this hole of a realm? Questions were flying through his mind a mile a minute. The insanity of the whole situation overrun but complete confusion and utter joy. Silently he was thanking the gods who had brought her here.

Looking at her more closely, he spotted something wrong in her face. During the second examination he could only see suspicion in her gorgeous eyes, the same that he had spent years dreaming about. There wasn't the slightest hint o recognition anywhere, much less the love he had witnessed in the pass. His stomach dropped at this realization. Worry began to override his previous confusion. Was it possible that she didn't know him?

That was a ridiculous question. Of course it was possible, just look at his recent company and their habits. Not only that, but there was no way the gods he recently praised would allow him this small reprieve. Surely this was just the latest their joke that was his life. It seemed that what he had first hoped would be the end to his search and loneliness was just the beginning of the next chapter of his purgatory.

Who are you?" Her question snapped him from his silent cursing back to the present. If there had been even a shadow of a doubt, it was gone now. He knew that voice even as it was laced with the current wary apprehension. He knew what it sounded life when it laughed and whispered in his ear, but his favorite was when she used it to scream his name in the throughs of passion. This was definitely his Emma, the love of his life. Standing not two paces from him was the one person he would give up everything for.

It was taking every once of strength and control within himself to not launch at her, wrap her up in his arms and never let her go. To not press her against the nearest solid structure and claim her again and again. But he knew better. He saw in her the scared creature he had first meet in that strange land. He was sure that if he made a move anywhere near her she would bolt and he didn't think his heart or soul could take that sight. He would have to play along with story for now, though this did throw a bit of a wrench in it.

"Killian Jones, m'lady," he stated as calmly as he could. Sticking to the truth as closely as possible was his best bet. He remembered that strange ability of being able to easily root out the truth. The last thing he needed at this moment would to be caught in a web of lies. Without a doubt the second she called him on it there would be no stopping the story tumbling from his mouth. "I only recently came as a blacksmith then this," he waved at the devastation around them, "happened and I hide."

"She narrowed her gaze at him, clearly not sure whether to believe him or not. For a few tense seconds, Killian wasn't sure whether or not it was truthful enough. These few moments could be his undoing and he was sure this was the most stress he had been under in 300 years. Not even facing the Dark One, or working for that demon child had him this concerned.

Finally he noticed her gaze flick away from him and for the first time he realized they were not alone. Making sure his expression was schooled into fear and worry, the pirate followed her line of sight and saw 3 other women around them. One he recognized from Haven, one was somewhat familiar though he had no idea where he knew her from, and the last was completely new to him. _Well_ , he thought, _this should be interesting_. Trying to get a read on these new comers, Killian began to see that keeping himself in check will be harder than he thought, but absolutely necessary. Out numbered as he was by these women, staying in their good graces was the only way he could survive.


	2. Chapter 2

How he ended up tired to the tree he still wasn't completely sure. One minute they were sitting at the table, the woman he recognized, Mulan, was verifying that she had in fact seen him around, working as a blacksmith. The next, he had a knife to his throat curtesy of his beloved Swan. She forced him to the nearest tree to be tied and left for the ogres. Apparently, she hadn't believed his story as much as he had assumed.

"Now tell me who you are." The fury in her eyes was such that it was clear he had to be a bit more forthcoming with information. The dagger didn't hurt her case either. Well, her pluck hadn't changed at least.

"I have been working as a blacksmith recently…" he started Clearly fed up with being lied to, the damn woman let out an earsplitting whistle. The crashes in the distance began moving in their direction, proving just how effective it had been.

"Bloody hell woman," a round of raised eyebrows at that did not go unnoticed. "If you would let me finish, I was going to say that I wasn't always a blacksmith." She was clearly still wary, but he had at least caught her attention. This bloody siren would be the death of him. After all these years of surviving she would be the end. Still Killian knew that he would be okay with that, she was completely worth all of the trouble.

"Okay, who were you before?"

"Captain Killian Jones," he repeated, which earned an exasperated look from all present, "though most know me by my more colorful moniker, Hook."

The blonde eyebrows shot up at that. Surprised but still trying to find a lie in his words somewhere. _Well,_ he thought, _let her try._ A more truthful statement hadn't been uttered by him since well before his time on that damned island.

"Hook." It was as though she was testing out his name, trying to see if it was actually real. "As in Captain Hook? Like Neverland, and fairies, and crocodiles?"

"Ah, so you have heard of me?" This was a redundant question. Emma had told him the stories she knew as a child. Those horrendous fictions of the demon saving lost and lonely children for a better life. Killian had tried to make her see things differently thing. Tried to argue for the case of the villain of those stories. Alas, without revealing his relation to those stories, it proved near impossible. Though, she had seemed a bit receptive that he did not have a perm or deplorable mustache.

"Emma," the dark haired woman was now looking at him with something akin to fear and wonder. "We have to leave him here. I've heard stories, Hook terrorized the land. He was a legend even before the curse. We can't risk it."

A small surge of pride washed over him knowing that his reputation still proceeded him. This was immediately replaced with shame and regret of his actions. He no longer wanted to be that man, the scourge of the seas, feared by all in his path. No his previous desire to be the notorious villainous cur was gone. It had disappeared the moment he had first laid eyes on Emma Swan. She had shown him something better, and he would continue to fight to be that person.

"Why are you here?" The woman in question was still looking at him, though now it seemed more puzzled and curious than on guard. Her question was the one that he had been expecting and fearing as he didn't completely know how to answer.

"Isn't it obvious, after the curse came and the ogres returned, there weren't many other places to be safe."

"No, I mean why did Cora leave you alive."

So she knew of Cora. That shouldn't have surprised him as much as it did. Of course, she had probable been there when Cora went after the wardrobe. But then, why hadn't the bloody witch told him she was here?

Deciding to stick to the truth as much as possible, Killian hoped he could make his case.

"We have an…arrangement of sorts."

The crashes were getting closer. There wasn't much time to make her believe now. Behind her, the rest of the women were clearly not comfortable with his last statement. The woman who knew his stories moved as though to try to pull her away but it seemed she didn't even noticed. Swan was still looking at him as though trying to figure something out, but she obviously didn't know what.

"What kind of arrangement?"

"If I helped here get the items she needs to travel to your land, she would take me with her."

Emma had been moving nearer during their discussion. Now she was close enough that he could inhale her amazing fragrance. Chocolate and something floral that he couldn't put is finger on.

"Any why does Captain Hook want to come to Storybrook?"

She was starting into his eyes. It was as though she was trying to read his mind. With her so close Killian was sure she could see his feeling for her pouring out in the waves he could no longer control. The crashing was now closer still, nearly on top of them, but to the helpless pirate it could have been worlds away for all he cared.

"Answer me, and you had better hope I believe you, Why does Captain Hook want to go to Storybrook?'

Willing her to see his feeling, praying to whatever gods where out there that maybe she remembered her feelings somewhere if not their past, Killian sighed. He would follow this woman to the ends of space and time even if she didn't know him from Adam at the moment.

"I want to go to get back to the woman I love."


	3. Chapter 3

She couldn't put her finger on it, but there was something about this man. A niggling feeling in the back of her brain kept coming up anytime she looked at him. Some vague sense of familiarity was there, but she had never seen him before in her life. There was no way she could forget the swagger or the lack of appendage, that was sure. No there was something else, but she couldn't exactly say what.

His story made some sense, though Emma could tell he was being deliberately vague on the details. But there was no specific lie as far as she could tell, and that was an instinct she was willing to trust. This was not the time for self doubt. She had to get back to Storybrooke as soon as possible. If the self-proclaimed Captain Hook was willing to help them against Cora, who was she to complain.

They were making their way through the woods at a relatively steady pace. It was clear to all that he wasn't thrilled about being chained, but he had made no protest at the action boding well on his intent. He was in front, leading them god knows where with Mulan close behind. It was clear that Emma was the only one who even slightly trusted him, if she could call it that herself. Mary Margaret was walking close while clearly trying to keep from hovering over her reunited daughter. Aurora was bring up the rear, though more out of difficulties with keeping up than as a rear guard./p

"So, who is he?" the twinkling voice of her roommate chimed her out of her thoughts. It took a moment, but Emma realized she was talking about their captive.

"Captain Hook apparently." It was clear that Mary Margaret thought there was more to the story, but the blonde didn't know anything to tell. She could see the signs that the brunette was fishing for answers, but Emma didn't have any that would satisfy her mother, or herself for that matter./p

"Well obviously I heard that, but I meant, who is he to you?" Unfortunately, it seems that she was just going to keep pestering until an unknown answer was provided.

"Captain Hook, apparently." She repeated, maintaining her demeanor as much as she could. There was no point in dwelling on any other implication when there were all impossible any how. The only thing that mattered was getting back to her son and out of this forest. She could feel Mary Margaret's stare on her, and could tell she wasn't going to let the conversation drop. What information she thought she could get out of her daughter was anyone's guess, but Emma wanted to avoid any and all questioning for as long as she could.

The last few days had turned the world upside down, and potentially adding new people to the list of things she needed to process was not high on Emma's priority list at the moment. The best thing she could do for all involved was to push any strange notions or feelings aside and focus on the present.

"Look, I have no idea who he is, but he is helping right now, and that is the priority." She stopped walking and looked and her friend-turned-family. "He is willing help us get home and I trust that he isn't lying about his reasons. At the moment that needs to be enough."

It was clear Mary Margaret wasn't comforted by the simplicity of Emma's theory. When it looked like she was going to try to continue the conversation, the blonde decided she had had enough, spun on her heel and marched towards the front of the party. Walking away was the best she could do to clear her head at the moment, or so she hoped.

Unfortunately, it soon became clear there wasn't much she could focus on while walking other than the conversation she left behind. That feeling in the back of her head started again as soon as she was away from her mother, and the silence around her only let it grow. It was as though Hook knew her. She had seen something strongly resembling recognition in his eyes when she had uncovered him.

But that was impossible. Emma had never been in this land before, and she was sure she would remember someone as, striking as him. It was pretty hard to forget a one-handed man. It had to be something else. Perhaps she just reminded him of someone, this lost love he spoke of. That had to be it.

Glancing up, she was startled to see the pirate in question staring at her with so much emotion that she had to look away quickly. It just didn't make sense. Why was he so interested in her. It could have been he was trying to use her for some unknown end. Or he had picked her out as believing him so he was connected to her.

Something in her heart told her that was wrong though. The look in his eyes when she had seen him was more than what someone would show after only a few hours. There was a deeper emotion that intrigued her, drawing her into his presence. Some strong drive in her called to be closer…

Shaking her head, she moved away from the group. Maybe a moment alone was all she needed. Motioning to Mulan that she would only be a moment, and they should keep moving, she made her way further into the trees. It was clear this pirate was dangerous in more ways than one. Emma would have to be alert around him at all times. Hook was bring to the surface all sorts of feelings she hadn't had for a long time, and that could get in the way.

Getting back to Henry had to be the top priority, just as she told Mary Margaret. Leather clad pirates who could get under her skin be damned, she was going home.


End file.
